Passenger Trains > Harlem NY's 125th Street Station

Having spent a lot more on commuter train tickets on Metro North and Long Island than I expected to in the last 24 hours, I decided I'd take the subway up to 125th Street and walk over to the Metro North station there. That gave me a chance to walk through the beautiful restored Harlem station lobby again, which I do love. I was there for the same reason I went there last time two years or so ag o, to get a New Haven Genny against the skyline pulling a train on a middle track. I basically saw every possible kind of train that could go through with one exception. I did not get a northbound New Haven Genny. This is the life of a railfan. Meh, had fun and got some nice images before the clouds started to really roll in and the rain chased me back down into the subway and my hotel room.

Images one and two are a northbound Genny and the skyline (if only she'd be in McGinnis paint).

Image three is a set of those oh so 1970s groovy M3s.

 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/07/19 22:20 by erielackawanna.

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Images four through six are an olio of one M3 train and three M8s trains coming and going.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/07/19 21:05 by erielackawanna.

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Image seven is of a set of M7As coming to a station stop.

Image eight is a train coming in from Croton Harmon, with the Harlem Bridge draw tower in the background.

Image nine is a Harlem Line train with M3As coming in.

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Last two shots are two more Genny led trains, but with no New Haven paint.

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Great images

Those NH M-8 MU's are UGLY, boxy, and that half-round sewer pipe running along the roof and cyclops headlight. 

" That gave me a chance to walk through the beautiful restored Harlem station lobby again"

Do you have photos of this?

restricted_speed Wrote:
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> " That gave me a chance to walk through the
> beautiful restored Harlem station lobby again"
>
> Do you have photos of this?

No - not this trip - that's one thing that is dicey taking photos of and if you want them, I would suggest going at a slow time of day. it's a small lobby and can get quite full of people, who don't want to be photographed. There is also a police station in the lobby, so you are drawing full attention to yourself once you start lining up camera angles in there. 

The one time I did it (years ago, sorry, not going to go search for those shots now), I was there mid day when it was less crowded, I finished up all my shooting on the platforms and was done for the day, so if I did get kicked out, no big deal. I lined up a couple shots without anyone looking my way and snapped them quickly.

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> Those NH M-8 MU's are UGLY, boxy, and that
> half-round sewer pipe running along the roof and
> cyclops headlight. 

The headlight design is vaguely reminiscent of the Pennsy's MP54s.

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA

 really like photos 1 & 3, I've seen the line from ground level but that photo angle is spectacular! 

Great photos!

This link has some photos of the inside of this beautiful station:

https://untappedcities.com/2014/07/10/a-look-inside-the-125th-street-elevated-metro-north-station-in-harlem

erielackawanna Wrote:
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> restricted_speed Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > " That gave me a chance to walk through the
> > beautiful restored Harlem station lobby again"
> >
> > Do you have photos of this?
>
> No - not this trip - that's one thing that is
> dicey taking photos of and if you want them, I
> would suggest going at a slow time of day.

The M8s seemed to have taken styling cues from the Edsel Citation.


joemvcnj Wrote:
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> Those NH M-8 MU's are UGLY, boxy, and that
> half-round sewer pipe running along the roof and
> cyclops headlight. 

PasadenaSub Wrote:
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> The M8s seemed to have taken styling cues from the
> Edsel Citation.

They remind me of the British Rail Class 317.

DivergingClear Wrote:
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> This link has some photos of the inside of this
> beautiful station:
>

Thank you.
 

Haven't been to NYC since 1961. Seem to remember an area like that that had an old elevated that stub ended into a building like that that was to be abandoned shortly. Is this the place? What I remember is that you could stand on the elevated and it would shake every time a train stopped close by.

Ray Ballash

restricted_speed Wrote:
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> DivergingClear Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > This link has some photos of the inside of this
> > beautiful station:
> >
>
> Thank you.
>

And it really is quite nice. The panelling is beautiful, and looks like it has been well maintained (and/or nicely restored). I like the benches too, though they are probably not particularly comfortable, but then that's not their purpose. I had never seen a view of that station interior, so thanks for sharing the link.

Excellent trackside views of the trains too - thank you. You really can see how the line is laid out, the descent to tunnel at 99th St., and the location of Grand Central at the base of the PanAm (oops....MetLife) building. And I agree on the styling of the M8s. Leaves a lot to be desired. I need to put this location on my list for my next NYC trip.

MC
Muskegon, Michigan



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/08/19 18:33 by ironmtn.

You got some very nice photos.  Thanks for sharing.

The M8s remind me of the SEPTA M3 "Almond Joy" cars with all of the bumps on the roof.

What a cool backdrop for all those photos!  Great variety too!

Nice pics!!

Posted from Android

The building with the copper roof beneath the Met Life/Pan Am building (photos 1&3) was New York Central’s HQ.

Tom Coughlin
Stow, MA

Posted from iPhone